any one build home made iguana cage?

Question

id like to build a cage for my spike pet iguana and any pointers would help what the best cage for him

Answer 1

You can't buy an iguana cage large enough from a store. Not for any ig over a year old, that is. There are a couple of places online that sell iguana cages...one being Cages By Design. Incredible enclosures! We were donated one earlier this year.

Like Trisha...I built my first cage...and I've never even built a bird house before. Planning is key. It's a 6' x 6' x 2' enclosure. It was built in two halves so it could break down easily if it ever needed to get moved...and it did. Everything is attached to one side or the other so nothing had to be removed. Just move the whole thing one half at a time.

I also used a wood frame but with 2x4s split in half. All the sides are solid - the front screen mesh purchased online. If I was to make another...I would add these changes:

1) Add castors for ease in moving. Even though it breaks down in half, it would be easier to move with castors.
2) Make the front plexiglas. It helps hold heat and humidity in better.
3) Make the shelves on adjustable shelving brackets. This would allow me to move the shelves as needed as he grew.

Whatever design you choose, make sure you can fit it through doors, up stairs and around corners depending on what location you choose to put it.

There's another forum strictly for building habitats that can give you tons of ideas. They're a gret bunch of people there with several ideas.

Answer 2

The best cage depends on personal opinion. We have built all of our igs cages, and are fixin to build our beardies new cages too. Many people use PVC piping for the frame, and just wrap it in plastic coated mesh/chicken wire stuff. (make sure it is plastic coated, otherwise your ig can injure themselves). I frame it in 2x4s, use plywood for the back and sides. and cover the front with plastic coated mesh. (the mesh is sold at home depot in rolls).

Decide on how big you want it, depending on how big the room is; and make sure you build it outside. we have a buddy who built his igs habitat inside..... now it is too big to get out the doors. lol, anywho, what we are doing is building 2 box frames, each 3 feet high,4 feet wide and a couple feet deep, then making them latch on top of eachother.(so that it is 6 feet tall) that way if we move; or need to get the cages outdoors for any reason, the two sections that come apart and fit through the doors. We put 3 sides plywood and one side mesh; because we have multiple iguanas, and we make their habitats so they cannot see eachother. you can do 3 or even 4 sides mesh, if you only have one ig. that way he can climb up the sides all he wants. you can use tree branches, 2x4s or pvc covered in carpet for his basking perches and climbing places.
we use pvc, but that is because my in laws own a plumbing company and we get it free :)

asthetic is all up to you. the ig could care less if there are plants in there, it is all for looks. Make sure if you choose live plants that you check to make sure that they are not dangerous to igs. For a substrate i recommend using carpet. Home Depot sells it for 40cents a square foot, so it is cheap, and all you have to do is vaccum it, or lift it out and wash it outback with a hose. We use plexi-glass for the bottom of the cage. Wood can get moldy with the moisture. though; plexi-glass is expensive, you could also use wood, and cover it with linoleum(sp?) that way all you have to do is wipe it down. it is up to you, and your ig. our igs don't like the kitchen floor, so we knew linoleum(sp?) wouldnt work........... any other questions you can send me a message.... thats all i can think of right now.

also, make sure the ig cannot get to the lights. they can burn themselves. also, make sure if you build a tall cage that you get the apropriate UVB and heat lamps, so that they don't have to be sitting on the top perch to get uvb and heat.

Answer 3

Here's the one that we built. it is very easy to keep clean snd the iguana never tries to sneak out.

Answer 4

Okay You have many opions if you build one you can make it out of wood, wire, metal, etc
If you buy one go to petco the have perfect ones!

Answer 5

normally if u built one yourself, you'll find it quite hard unless your an expert, and it will break faster, but if your still gonna built one yourself, dont use paper or cardboard cause it can break it and if your gonna use wire, twist two strings of it together so it is stronger